The Sun. — London, England, 1818-04-13 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN. 'TO LEGISLATORS, AUTHORS, ARTISTS, AND THE READING COMMUNITY. A few lines may be properly addressed to the above classes in the aggregate ; because the sub ject is materially connected with each and with all. To the members of the Legislature 1 more particularly appeal: for it is of the first import ance that _they should be made acquainted with those pursuits of the other classes which may he deemed national. They should also fully under stand the effects of all such proceedings of the House of Commons as materially tend to animate or to repress the literary energies of the Empire. It is therefore of serious importance that they should pause. before they vote, and that they should calmly and dispassionately investigate every subject which may be proposed to the House as the basis of a law. They are, therefore, called upon most solemnly to ascertain the principle and tendency of a motion now before Parliament, for a modification of the Act respecting COPY-RIGHT. A Statute is now in force, which, without ex- tggeration, I may pronounce buth as oppressive to the literary character, as the Property Tax was to any class of the community; with !•bis dif ference, that one might be necessary, but the other is not. It seems generally to be conceived that Authors are poor—that poverty, poetry, and literature, are always associated ; and thence it may be inferred, that they are exempt from as sessed taxes ; but by the Act_ now alluded to, they are visited by a Parliamentary Mulct, or punishment of the most arbitrary any severe na ture., This Act compels every author of a book, tvhether it be profitable or otherwise, to surrender ELEVEN copies of such book to rich Public Esta blishments. before the poor indefatigable Author receives one iota of remuneration for his mental and bodily labour, ELEVEN copies of his hard earned industry and genius are exacted from hint. Nay, before the curient expenses of paper, print ing, &c. &c. are defrayed, he is required to give one of the finest paper copies to the BRITISH 1111J UUM j and one more perfect copy to each of the following Establishment , :—Thu Libraries of the Universities of Oxford and.Camblidge ; the four Universities of Scotland ; Sion College, London ; the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh ; also to. Trinity College and the Society of the King's Inns, Dublin. Every other English tax appears to originate in the political exigencies of Government and it is vesumed that ti►ev are upon general and equitable principles ; but the grievance now complained of is levelled at one class of the community, and in its - operation must be directly and positively distress ing to the literal y character. It cannot fail, in deed, of materially oppressing; and impoverishing the Author, ‘vho is already less remunerated than any other professor--of a liberal art or science. Al►though the es( a blished Bookseller and Publisher is apparently a great sufferer, yet he has %rations ways of relieving himself, or of obviating part of the hardships. The Author, however, has no alleviation ; hernust pay this heavy toll before he can enter the public market ; he n►ust contribute more exorbitantly that) tytl►es, although he neither obtains moral, physical, or political advantage from those who collect it. As the Income Tax at length roused the mass of the English nation to come forward in a firm, strong phalanx, let us hope that every man who has derived either plea sure or rrofit from lite'rature, will be equally strenuous and steady in opposing the present Act ; and by, petition, remonstrance, argument, and every honest English effort, seek to obtain its abo lition, or procure some equitable modification of its itnperatk%e clauses. If Authors, Engravers, and other Artists connected with literature, will proclaim this serious evil among their friends, press it continually on the public, and sign a pe tition to the Legislature, a good effect must be produced ; and unless some redress be obtained, all the classes herein named will ultimately be most seriously injured, by what, in my opinion, is an unjust and oppressive Act. I am induced to speak feelingly and urgently on the subject, for lam a real sufferer. Since thelpassing of the Act, in 1514, I have been taxed alve 1001. for lite rary works. Tavistoc-Row, April 2, 1818. JOHN BRITTON. HYDRA SOUTH SEAMAN.—We tia . VC the pleasure of stating that Goverr.ment has interested itself, with becoming spirit, on the subject of this sei zure, and every progress is now making _towards a proper explanation by the Spanish - Government. Ltgal opinions have been taken upon the case, which are decidedly in favour of the owners, and in consequence of this a letter has been trans , 'pitted to Sir 11. Wellesley, the British Ambas sador at Madrid, desiring hint to represent their claims in the s!ranw , it manner to that Conrt, and urge iti attention to the necessity of immediate re dress.—(Plyntouth Telegraph, April 11.) POOR LAWS. FOR THE SUN. R. Eorrott,—Allow me, through the medium of your Paper, to call the attention of the Public' to a Bill now pe'riding in Parliament, entitled " a Bill (as amended by the Committee), for the amenThnent of the Laws for the Relief of the Poor." " Were it not that the respectable clic ractei of the Honourable Gentleman to whom the Bill is attriluted contradicts such a aupposi•- tion, one might almost suspect that it was framed by some petty Justice of the Peace, who, not sa tisfied with his present power, aims at the total and complete subjugation of all within his I sphere. I will not trespass upon your colomas by any extracts from the Bill, but content myself with I recommending its most attentive perusal to all in any way connected with the Lsnded Interests, and also to those who wish to see preserved unshackled the independence of the middle classes who dwell io the country, especially such ,as reside on and cultivate their own little estates. The leading features of this much misnomered Bill, I cannot, however, refrain from notitdng. It is intended, in the first place, entirely to supersede the office Of Overseer ; in the second,' to take out of the hands of the majority of the Parishioners the expenditure and management of their own mo ney ; anti, thirdly, to throw the whole patronage of the Parish into the bands of the acting Magi state, by authorising bins to appoint a Select Com mittee of twelve persons, to superintend the con cerns of the poor. It is also expressly provided for, that no one is to be on this Committee with out the consent of the Magistrate. Of course good care will be taken that no one obnoxious to him shall be admitted : no one who, from his inde pendent 'spirit and resistance to the too often arbitrary measures of country despots, is called at the Vestry a troublesome fellow ; or at all events so ample a majority will be secured, as to prevent any difference of opinion thwarting the measures or plans of the leading man of the place,iwhether Magistrate or not. If we must have a Select Committee, or, in other words, a Star Chamber, instead of an open Court, why not chuse them by ballot or by vote ? The answer is easy to be found, and is simply this, because such a method would not secure a - Majority ; in fact, the whole concern , is an undisguised attempt at an unwar rantable, an unnecessary increase of power ; as whilst Vestries are open, and every one has the power of giving his opinion weight by vote„there is some difficulty in the enslaving a respectable Parish; but close the doors, and allow the leading . man to appoint a Select Committee, and wko is to resist him ? It is in vain to talk of obtaining r e lief at the Quarter Sessions ; few of the op pressed, not one in a hundred, unite the necessary qualifications—an independent spirit and a good purse. Should this Bill pass, it is not easy to say where the evil would end, and to what use the power thus delegated may be applied. Let me only notice one direction which may be given to it, by way of quickening the attentiou of the public. The Magistrate (or the leading man of the Parish, through him), is to appoint the Select Committee; of course every one must succumb to him or suffer for it. Trace the thing upwards as to appoint ments, and see where it ends ! ,I need scarcely add, that the Magistrate being nominated by the Lord Lieutenant, and'that Officer by the Crown, something more than the malsadministratiost of Paris'li-affairs is to be dreaded. I confess it is not with Out hesitation I submit this idea, being one • of those who think the power or influence of the Crown is not at present too great, at the same time that l see no necessity for increasing it. There are, Sir, other clauses in this Bill equally pernicious to the health of the body politic, such as the unnatural taking away the children of pau pers, thereby destroying those feelings which are the best security for their good behaviour, and not 'infrequently the source of many a man's energy and industry. Also the lending money or forcing a loan on a pauper, to be recovered by distress, when by dint of increased labour, or more fortunate cir cumstances, he shall have acquired a few shil lings. Surely an attempt so evidently aimed at the extinguishment of hope in the bosom of the peasant ought not to pass uncensured. With,this pitiful mortgage upon his scanty earnings, what inducement can he have to use the smallest exer tion to extricate himself front his difficulties ? Most undoubtedly, whenever be can earn more than usual, he will not pay his rent or re-clothe his family, lest the Select Committee should sus pect the alteration in his affairs, but rather will fly to the public-house, there to spend what, under different feelings, he might pet haps have devoted to his family. But 1 trust the Legislature will pause before, by such enactments, they reduce the English peasant to a worse situation than the West India Negro. Can any thing tend to pro duce a more rapid degradation of his moral cha racter, than to tear his children front their cottage, and to force on him a mortgage upon his wages ? Can any thing bring him nearer to the situation of a slave, tha►► the putting in force such a law, which I do not hesitate to pronounce a libel upon the British nation, and a disgrace to the age in which we live. For the rest, I cannot conclude without giving it as my decided opinion, that this Bill is the most arbitrary, iu all its bearings, that has ever yet been submitted to Parliament, and the source from whence the greatest evils may arise. One in oar ticular must not be forgotten, namely, the pro- `No Paris Papers have arrived since Saturday.— Two days' Journals are due. Some Calcutta Papers have arrived, from which we give Extracts in another column. They serve to illustrate the state of India, although they are not of so recent a date as the accounts lately pub lished. Respecting the events alluded to in the latter, there is; we believe, no further intelli gence. Some particulars, however, have trans pired respecting our quarrel with the PEISHWA, in addition to the transactions already known. The PEISHWA and the GUICKOWAR (who rules the Guzerat) are, amongst other Mahratta Chieftains, bound by Treaty to submit their differences to the mediation of Great Britain. The purpose of this'stipulation by the Company is most beneficent and humane. If no such pledge of peace were in being, the Mahratta territory would become' .a scene of perpetual violence and bloodshed. It is the regular practice of the Chiefs of that people to declare war against their neighbours on every petty disagreement ; and lest excuses should be wanting, they always contrive to retain. portions of landed property in each other's dominions—an expedient which lays the ground-work of eternal claims, and of causes or pretexts for hostility and depredation. Some dispute of this hind arose between the Nisi-ma and the GUICKO►CAR, whose dominions are contiguous to the Gulpbs of Cutch and Cam bay, and whose capital, Baroda, is north of Bom bay about 220 miles. The British Government offered its media►tion, and the PEISHWA invited the GuicKowAa to send his envoy to Poonah, that the negociation might be carried on under English au spices; but the PEISH WA had lately received into his councils an adventurer, named TRIMBAJ BE, of a notoriously profligate and abandoned' charac ter, and familiar with every species of crime.— 'The Minister of the GoicxowAa, not with out reason, felt reluctant to place himself in the hands of this reprobate ; but at length con sented, t►nder assurances of safety, confirmed by the British Authorities. The first effort of the PEISHWA'S Court was to corrupt the fidelity of the Ambassador. This failing, they enticed him to a religious ceremony, where, after retiring to their pagoda, the PEISHWA and his Minister bar barously took away his life. What followed may be briefly told. We demanded of the PEISH WA such a public declaration as should exonerate the British name from the re• proach of participating in so font a murder. This ►vas accordingly done by the PEISHWA, in a public address to the States of India. TRIMBAJER was, moreover, given np to Lord HASTINGS ; but through the negligence of his keepers made his escape. He forthwith began to levy troops in the PEISH WA's name, and by his authority ; and Lord HASTINGS having detected . that Chieftain in a treacherous correspondence with other Mah ratta leaders, whom he excited to take arms against the Company, his Lordship ordered up the subsidiary force to Poonah. The PEISHWA consequently struck ; a new Treaty was sign ed, ceding to us some defensive positions ; ec 4 and the GorcKowArt was released from , claim on the part of his perfidious riv 9h so e that Treaty the PerstrwA remained at .Peac.ol,6lt. new demand wad made upon norkanilte offered to him : but when Lord liAsTisosrfothi menced his movements for the. d e structi on 000 v t, 4 L „ d Pindarrees, the PE7snwA, insiigated, 11 0 1 bo ot forces y ii g be for toA i i a a t t li e a % g V e a r (3 ; 17.'9°1117: '1:: i s 0 had owed his preservation from the Pill 4ri . eg :b6 1 , 1 he did his original seat upon the Alustriol,'"' power and liberality of the British Gaverou'ell , , CLAEE ,icOr It On Saturday the Dukes of Yoak, and GLOUCESTER, visited the P RIN CE REG -t4l. Carbon (louse. cot On Saturday tie Prince of SAxE CoBURG to to tin from Claremont; and at half O i st llit o'clock pioceeded to Carlton 1-.loir,e, to P il l ig le respects to the PRINCE REGENT. ilk RtIY 3II lf ness remained with the PRINCE REGENTne. two hours. . tr ° WINDSOR, APRIL 12 —On Friday her so' and Princess AUGUSTA arrived trorn 1.•40'n'll'1111 in a short time after her M AJES TY rii llet r A KING. The Countess of MAcc t . E FFIF,Lo s r i . . 0 at the Castle in the evening, and also the ft V KENT. Yesterday the Duke of KE NT Iti' y for Claremont, on a visit to Prince itt' Yesterday, about two o'clock, the 4 11 rinc r " ZABETH and the Prince of HEcsp . 1-100,0°.°01 rived at the Castle, from the PaiNce tl eu ei li Cottage, on a visit to th e QUEEN. Iliefr4ifir-,! their landatdct and four, will] three out". o6e f ie number of spectators were attracted (0 a c e!g- Friday Sir WM. GRANT, one Of th e WO Council, who has been in attendance o o 7, i '00 • left the Castle for London. On Friday.ol;oo ELIZABETH and the Prince of [JESSE 14"14;5P took an airing to her Cottage at Old where her Royal Highne•s has spent [ p ate ) tr °tier' hours. Tliis morning Divine Service , v< Cbep 01 formed to the Royal Family in the plivat in the Castle, after which, her MAlEstri, •scifie partied by Princess AUGUSTA and the'fil-fili KENT, rode out in a coach and four, brOug-fie Long Walk, and proceeded to the PSI SC ii °, I O I GENT'S Cottage, on a visit to the Prince s ". I ,bel the le BETH and o l f ) r a in r c e e pa o s f t. LlEssE 110tufssitO, they partook - _ car BRITISH INSTITUTION.—The Exhibl.6o,ll cap The British Gallery in Pall Mall clo so° nudity last. lire gave a general account ° merits of the several Artists on the ort lin t;iier we regret that want of room prevented Our - c oo ing into a regular examination of their resr o iol productions. It is evident that this Jus t '", 3 lo l has powerfully contributed to the impeovele. the Arts, not only by affording the Art ist , - re opportunity of displaying their taleots• 'l°` ib tiding rewards, for superior exc e llence, bu t l io se liberality shewn in purchasing works to wh ich( Ot t rewards are not assigned.—The m erits of e ig WESTALLS, BEECHEY, SHEE, and otbe r e t ' Artists,. were conspicuous in the Exhibitu ni , 1 0d has just closed, as well as of Hos'LaisP, STALL)/ CONSTABLE, and others, whom we have ou r i4 f° to notice. %Ve were much gratified in, "irrlif. ing that the pictures which Were sold reac', l %;„lia amount of 2600 guineas, which is much "T i be the amount of last year, and double thatthe year before. The rooms', not withstandiag.oh unfavourable weather, were very Well and by many visitors who had often been ' fi l o° before, but were naturally anxious to have "r e lit ing view of so much excellence. We luu , st ;* . express , our high sense of the distingins"e 010 blemen and Gentlemen, who, by this l a ' a d Institution, have improved the national ta!lC' founded an ENGLISH SCHOOL. 0 10 vv. Mr. HAZLITT'S LECTURES.--.-ThiS .6ent l e th e resumed his Lectures on English PoetrY'. feta Crown and Anchor, on Friday last. li e e. tr -f alt into a brief character of all the Poets, afte r , " c iace whose merits he had previonsly..exami netb: "l the days of Qireen ANNE. lie spoke 01 061 your of ARBUTHNOT, though chiefly a pr os f:! . e f ' ter, of PARNELL, SWIFT, GAY, flud o th es of that period. lie was particular in his Pra:!..cotl' The Beggar's Opera, which, in our 0pi0i 13 ,"',,,, tov sists of common place worn out satire, 107 ' etc•, moor, and hackneyed abuse of StaleSnl en ' e But we are sorry that it seems, to be co°B -l c i lta with the political opinions of Mr. Hazt,lrr':joili indulges himself in sentiments of the sau te " i blie He should consider that he addresses the 1 ; `,, - -, 1 0 at large, and that (illy a small part of his may be disposed to applaud such sentiments.. W 5 - perhaps he disgusts all the rest. - His btoil'elslied' Camcissz, not POLITICS, he is Well 9 1 : 1A s j oIYI for a judicious inquiry into the merits of poets ject. He also directed his attentiou .tellealu nearer our own time, and bestowed'ul erl ks gimps on GOLDSMITH, for his prose w,..°l,o'illet well as his poetry. In the course of his 1 1 e— ee t inSA)- he compared the style of the writers at f e'; of Queen ANNE with that of Dr. JoU r ' s°' presenting their language as plain, corre ct , a rto proper, and JOHNSON'S as pompous, inflat e ' i; as built on.a Latin idiom. fie also CO'trote with that of JUNIUS, but lie did not seet°, ") collect what GIBBON justly says, viz- th 3t ; i s sf is -the image of character." The terse bfe%:-•i1C; JUNIUS was suitable to his animated and viliw c. r e.: spirit.' The dignified solemnity of jouN s°l4 l oll l ' presented the moral energy of his miod. et contributed to the improvement of our langl,l%'o,o but JOHNSON most, as he has given t o it et' h o met •'' (ion, force, and grandeur, though soirites.e might be ostentatiously pompous. IV M r ' LITT would keep back the Politician, and eont fi . o himself to assume only the character of the Crihe his Lectures would deserve in no slight degree tte encouragement. of the public, and con tribute 0 • improve the general taste. But in venting o,co, sionally the favourite doctrines of h is p olitic a l; creed, he inures himself, and skews a `wEtlit„,,, j respect to the feelings of his audience. Th e "'at plause which attends such hostility to f°" l9 se Government which he disapproves, most be 'of applause of factious people, totally that taste which- would enable them to Pr° lit lo the judicious criticism which the -Lecturer ,„ ' well able to afford. d es titute 04 bable increase of law expenses (already swollen to art immense amount), from appeals being likely to become very frequent to ward off the operations of the Select Committees. An examination of its various clauses will de monstrate whether I am right or wrong in my conclusions. It seems to me worthy the charac ter l have given it; to others it may afar dif ferent ; at. all eftwts, no harm can .ensue from a discussion of its merits ; and to that end I hope others will arise to assist me in calling the atten tion of the public so forcibly to it, as to render it necessary for our Representatives to pay us the compliment of not suffering it to pass into a law without the strictest scrutiny. Bedford, April 7, I SlB. A. B. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Perforated on Satyrday Night. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—Ways and Means : Sir Da vid Dander, Mr. Dowton ; Harriet, Miss Boyce. After which, The Falls of Clyde. To which was added, The Sleeping Draught. THEATRE ROYAL, COGENT-GaunEN.—The Devil's Bridge: Count Belino, Mr. Brahain ; Rosalvina, Miss Stephens. After which, Killing No Murder. A aftlytn-1 Dublin, 3 Waterford, I Gottenburgb, I Lisbon, I Malta. DUE—I Dublin, 2 Waterford, I Holland, I France, 1 Hainburgb, 1 Flanders. PRICE 0 THIS nAv AT T . S pr Cent. Red....7Bam 79 3 per Cent. 4 per Cents .....97 97 sper Ct. N.Ann.lo6Ali 101} Bank Long Ann... 20 7-laths F STOCKS .rvELv o'ci.ocx. India Stock..... 238 India Bonds...—. 92s 935. pr. Ex. Bills, 2d,..... 135. 20s. pr. Ditto, lid. 2os. 21 s. pr• Cons. for May, 79 a 80A1 Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed from the Returns made in the Week ending the 6th day of April, is 51s. 4d. per cwt. HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO.MORROW. Morning, 36 minutes after 8. J Evening, 2 minutes after 9. THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DILERE FALSU!I AUDEAT ? LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1818. f . L